Today in America thousands have gathered in Memphis and Washington to commemorate 50th anniversary of the death of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

A polarising figure in his lifetime, King spoke and acted passionately against racial injustice, the Vietnam war, poverty and the economic and social systems that create it.

Supporters of Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani along with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan which backs some rebel groups have met in the Turkish capital Ankara committing to achieving a ‘lasting ceasefire’ in Syria.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a statement in response to claims about its coverage that suggest the BoM had blamed a staffing shortage for a late warning to residents in the path of the cyclone of Cyclone Iris in north Queensland.

BOM Queensland state manager Bruce Gunn reassured the community saying the Bureau remains focused on the threat Tropical Cyclone Iris poses and is fully staffed to run a 24x7 forecasting service.